


Changing of the Guard

by BridgetMcKennitt



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Female Friendship, Gen, Pre-Canon, Treat, Women In Power
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-13
Updated: 2016-02-13
Packaged: 2018-05-19 05:59:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5956291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BridgetMcKennitt/pseuds/BridgetMcKennitt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Maria first joined SHIELD and met the founder, Maria wasn't impressed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Changing of the Guard

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tielan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tielan/gifts).



When Maria first joined SHIELD and met the founder, Maria wasn't impressed. The first thing she did before even signing up was research SHIELD using legal channels and some not so legal channels, and of course she read everything she could about Peggy Carter.

Peggy was the kind of no nonsense, action oriented, type of agent that Maria wanted to become someday. The things that Peggy did as an SSR agent made Maria's hands tingle in excitement. Under Peggy's watch, SHIELD had blossomed and Maria wished she'd been born a decade or two earlier to have been on the ground floor of it all.

And then she met Peggy. At first, Maria thought the older woman was someone else, someone normal, not the founder of SHIELD. Granted, they'd just been passing each other in the halls and it wasn't like Peggy was still running SHIELD. That was Nick Fury and Maria immediately knew that she wanted to be Fury's hand. Right or left, it didn't matter. She just knew she was going to rise in the ranks as quickly as possible.

Peggy Carter should have been so larger than life that everyone should have immediately known it was her. Maria didn't get that feeling and it was a bit of an illogical letdown. She wasn't even sure _Captain America_ , if he was alive today, would have inspired more than a glance from her if she passed by him in the hall when he wasn't wearing his Captain America uniform. Though wasn't that the point of a SHIELD agent? Blending in and hiding one's strength to trap the enemy?

Then Maria officially met Peggy.

Peggy held out her hand with a warm smile. "Agent Hill, is it? Fury tells me you're a bit of a go getter. I like that." Maria didn't show it on her face, but she was pleased to hear that. 

Maria shook her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Agent Carter."

"Oh please, call me Peggy. I haven't been an agent in ages." Peggy led Maria to the large windows overlooking the city. "I suspect you're the type of agent that I was when I was your age. If that's the case, you're going to get a lot of push back from your fellow agents, but don't let them dissuade you from your goal."

"I don't."

Peggy turned to Maria and nodded. "Good. Fury trusts you and so do I. You have a long way to go, Agent Hill, but I suspect you'll do just fine."

Maria blinked as she tried to remain calm at Peggy's words. She was known to both Fury and Peggy? They trusted her? She was only a low level agent. "I'm sorry, what?"

Peggy chuckled and clasped Maria on the shoulder. "I know it's a lot to take in, but I have utmost confidence that you'll meet my expectations of you, if not more than meet them. I may not run SHIELD any longer, haven't in ages, but I still like to keep my eyes on things. If you ever need any advice, call me. I'd be happy to help."

Their second meeting ended soon after that, but Peggy's words resonated in Maria. If Peggy Carter believed in her, then there was nothing stopping Maria from getting what she wanted.


End file.
